Brake Calipers - 04

BRAKE CALIPERS:
MAFAC Competition (modified) - dual pivot center pull aluminum alloy calipers - bright polish "Super de Luxe" non-anodized finish - traditional non-recessed acorn nut mount - pre 1975 first edition with MAFAC logo stamped into the face of the leading arm - pre 1979 arm configuration having slotted receptacles for “bullet style” straddle cable ends - absent post 1973 optional wheel guides - bronze pivot bushings - adjustable bridge with 63 mm C-t-C pivot spacing - large stirrup (51 mm - 66 mm drop) long reach - model Competition Cn-3 : Scott / Mathauser integrated brake shoes and pads - finned and curved aluminum shoes - pre 1977 with Black trim at the top and bottom of each shoe - thin profile iron oxide pads - 51 mm x 9.5 mm rim contact area - standard 7 mm straight post (non-threaded) fitting - straight (...not angled) edges - model MM : Spence Wolf / Cupertino Bike Shop brake booster plates - Black anodized 6061/T6 aluminum alloy plate - stainless steel mounting hardware ... [A non-stock but authentically period appropriate component, and one which represents a logical improvement over the MAFAC Racer calipers that would have normally been mounted onto a Crescent Pepita model 320 dating from this year (...however, as mentioned earlier, Campagnolo Record brakes were available on these bikes as an extra cost option). Essentially, these are "hot rod" style brake calipers pioneered by Spence Wolf of Cupertino Bike Shop fame, and as such, they represent perhaps the ultimate development of the MAFAC center-pull design. Although they were admittedly a tad more difficult to initially set up when compared to their slick Campagnolo Record or Shimano Dura-Ace side-pull counterparts, once properly adjusted, these babies were the "mutt’s nuts" - able to flat outperform anything else on the market in the way of sheer stopping power, they also offered a rider the refined ability to modulate speed with little to no wasted effort while providing considerable tactile feedback. With regard to the particular brake booster plates seen here, they are indeed Spence Wolf originals - albeit somewhat unusual ones given their Black anodized finish. Back in the 1970’s when I contacted the Cupertino Bike Shop to purchase these, they asked whether I would prefer Silver or Black, and I opted for the latter. Apparently, Spence had a small batch custom anodized at the request of another customer and thereafter was offering the remnants from that run on a first-come / first-served basis. As for those earliest edition finned and curved Scott / Mathauser integrated brake shoes and pads, they were being advertised nationally in U.S. cycling magazines such as Bicycling and Bike World as of late 1975.]